Apparatus for feeding fuel in injection engines



ENVENTOR Rcxiph- Miler BY Nov. 17, 1925- R. MILLER APPARATUS FOR' FEEDING FUEL IN INJECTION ENGINES Filed Nov. 29, 1921 Patented Nov. 17, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH MILLER, 01? EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO INGERSOLL-RAND M.- IPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEN JERSEY.

Application filed November 29, 1921. Serial No. 518,688.

To (.IZZ whom it may concern..-

Be it known that. I, Ranrn MILLER, a cit-izen oi the United States, and a resident of Easton, Northampton County, and State of 5 Pennsylvania, have invented, a certain Apparatus for Feeding Fuel in Injection Engines, of which the following is a specification accompanied by drawing.

This invention relates to apparatus for feeding fuel in injection engines, but more particularly to apparatus for feeding high viscosity crude oils in such engines. \Vhile the invention may be advanta eously applied to any injection engine, I ave chosen to illustrate the invention in connection with an en ine of the solid or mechanical injection type aving airless fuel injection mechanism, of thet'ype for instance, disclosed in the co-pending application of William '1. Price, deceased, Serial No. 469,435, filed May 14, 1921, for fuel regulation for injection type engines, to which application I have permission torefer.

The objects of the invention are to enable high viscosity crude oils to be readily and conveniently uised as the fuel of injection engines without elaborate and expensive auxiliary mixing and heating ap )aratus,

"and also produce a feeding system or such 7 oils which will permit the oil to be heated and injected at e required viscosity for produclng atomization without the formation of gas bubbles, which is highly objectionable.

For example, the usual airless fuel injection mechanism for mechanical injection engines will not spray or atomize crude oils of high viscosity, 'and,by that I mean of viscoslty more than abdut 200 seconds Sey- 40 bolt at room temperature. Any oil which is heavier than that, re uires a heating system in connection with th fuel injection mechanism.

The ordinary commercial California and Mexicanscrude oils when heated under at? mospherio ressure generate gas at about 150 F. to a out 100 F. and it is practically essential that gas and anbe kept out'of the fuel injecting apparatus of the en ine. Heavy crude oil in which the viscosity alls to 200 seconds or lower before the gas bubble 'point is reached are capable of use in, an

njection engine by adding a simple heating system to the apparatus, which may conveniently consist of a water jacketed filter .pheric heating s stem.

220 F. Gas bubbles formed at 150 F.

box through which a. small art ofthe en gine cooling water is shunted Such a heating system will become more sensitive as the range of temperature between the point at which the viscosity is about 200 seconds, and the gas bubble point, becomes smaller. When the temperature dropsbelow the 200 second point, for vi"- cosity, the oil will not spray or atoinize properly in airless injecting mechanism and the exhaust is apt to show this fact, by becoming colored to a greater or less degree. When the tem rature rises above the gas bubble point, tie fuel pum does not completely fill its suction ciamber on the suction stroke and the beginning of injection and combustion is correspondingly delayed. This latter defect can be ofi'setto some degree by advancing the timing of the fuel injection, but the injection becomes extremely sensitive and in some cases impracticable commercially. On the other hand, certain fuel oils, as for instance from California, which show a viscosity of about 200 seconds at about 155 F., with the gas bubble point at about 160 F., can be iandled in an atmospheric pressure heating system without the necessity of advancing the fuel injection to compensate for gas bubbles. The necessity of an extremely close temperature control is evident from the above considerations, and the last mentioned oils a pear to represent the heaviest oils with t e information at present obtainable, which can be used in the ordinary atmos- An analysis 0 certain Mexican crude oils from Standard Oil Company. showed a viscosity 'of 721 seconds Seybolt at 160 F.; 254 seconds at 200 F.; and 187 seconds at ,pressuresufiicient to hold the gas bubble int at a point about 220 F. or below. Vith the particular Mexican crude oil mentioned as having been procured from Standard Oil Com any, the best results so' far seem to have on obtained with a pressure a hallie the convolutions of the heating coil in order about fifty pounds or over entire {oil and a temperature of the oil about The examples and figures given herein are to be taken merely as illustrative examples, selected in order to make the principles of the invention clear, and I am not to be taken as limiting the iirvention to the figures given, except as defined in the claims appended hereto, because obviously, my apparatus may beapplied-to various qualities of known crude oils and others which may hereafter be discovered or placed upon the i'uarkcli.

'lhe desirability, in many instances, from the standpoint of cheapness and economy, of: using heavy crude oils of high viscosity as injection engine fuel is manifest, but the difficulties are apparent and my method and apparatus obviates these dililculties.

My invention is carried out in one proi'crred form of apparatus shown in the acconrpauying diagrammatic drawing,- which is partly in re tical section, only so much or an airless injection mechanism and its component parts being shown as will serve to illustrate the inventioih As hereinbefore statethihe invention illustrated in connection with the feeding of the fuel for injection type internal conibustio'n engines, in which liquid fuel is in ice-ted by a pump Without the use of injection air, and more particularly to the feed ing of fuel for that class of injection cu glues in which the liquid fuel is injected during the latter part of the compression stroke. 7

Fuel pumps for engines of the type re ferred to are commonly provided with means to allow the escape of a variably regulated portion of the pump stroke volume, thereby regulating the amount of fuel. pumped into the engine, and such regulation is sometimes e'il'ected by the control of the suction valve of the pump, but is more gcuorally by the control of a special escape or by-1 ss valve, which opened at variable points towards the end of the discharge stroke of thepump, as disclosed in the aforesaid ice-pending application, Serial No.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus there shown, comprises in general the fuel tank A, which may be an elevated tank,

. having the inner compartment B for re ce vi'ng the oil, the lower portion of the said V compartment having; the st'ainer U. .The

heating coil D may conveniently be located 7 in the outer compartment of the tank A and It is, preferably arranged between to cause the oil to take a tortuous passage in passing from the inner compartment over the baflle to the oil outlet F.

Any suitable means may be provided for supplying a heating medium to the coils D and to other portions of the feeding system to be described, but in this instance, l. have found it convenient to heat Water b the waste gases passing from the. exhaust of the machine, and I have indicated a. por tion of the exhaust pipe G having a heater H located therein provided with water tubes J Connected to the tube sheett iii and into the filter box Q by means of a fuel sup ply pump, comprising the pump body V provided with the chambers W and X, hav-' ing the fuel supply plunger Y nd injection plunger Z respectively. Any suitable means may be provided for actuating these 1)lllZlg-' ers from a rotating or reciprocatin part not shown, of the machine, to which the pump is to be. applied, and in this instance both plungers are operated from a common plunger rod a. A plunger spring 6 on the plunger Z is con'ipressed between the pump body and the spring holder a, suitably cured to the plunger stem. The fuel supply plunger Y and the plunger uected togethe as by means of the -lie,i'i'iei'nher or yoke (Z. plunger Z i'sclosed by the plug a and a head 7" is suitably secured to the pump body V over the end of the pump Cllill lltll W, which rod nre con-- ihe pinup chamber ofhead is provided with a valve chamber 9 having the valves it and and valve stop ll.

The supply ipet from the outlet I of the oil tanl-z. A we first an enlarged portion 3) through which the heating pipe R passes, and from thence the oil supply pipe 0 leads to the valve chamber 1 The oil supply pipe 1g leads from the valve chamber 9' to the connection 1' on the filter box Q. The oil after being filtered through the filter leaves 8, passes out of the filter through the valve 3' to the uipe u and the injection pump valve chamber 'v, thencethrough the passage wile the pump chamber X, and thence back through the passage w and disch: pipe as, to the nozzles or other injection means of the engine, all substantially shown and described in the aforesaid co-peuding application, Serial No, 489,435. The return pipe 2 leads back to the filter horror pressure tank Q, being controlled by the two-Way valve'3.

A second fuel supply tank 4-, for light oil for starting purposes is connected by the pipe 5 having the valve (5 to the connection 7 on theiilter tank at the sothat by closingit'he valve t underneath the filter pipe'u to the injection mechanism.

tank, the fiow of heavy oil is shut oil and the lighter oil for starting purposes is fed directly frbmjthe light oil. tank 4 to the connection -'Z and thence through the supply A re turnpipe 9 for light oil is connected to the two-way valve 3 at the-to of the filter tank,

and thence back to the light oil tank 4, so that a complete supply system for light oil is provided by shutting off the filter tank Q. A pressure relief valve 10 is preferably provided in the oil pipe 0 and a pressure gauge 11 may also be provided for the filter tank.

For a portion of its length, the heating pipe R passes through the enlarged portion p of the oil supply pipe 0 and the flow of oil and a jacket or wrapping 1.2 is

is counter to the flow of hot water or steam through the portion 72, so that the oil is further heated at this oint. The longer vertical length of the 011 supply pipe 0 maybe jacketed in any suitablemanner if desired,

referably provided around the Q11 pipe (I: and the heatlng pipe 0 betweenthe injection nozzles 3, although this wrapping may be omitted'if I desired.

' 2represents the escape above referred to for that portion of the stroke volume of the injection plunger which is not to be dis charged to the engine, and for this purpose is adapted to be variably o erated, as described, by mechanism 'simi ar to that described in the aforesaid co-pending application, Serial No. 496,435.. The valve 16 is provided with a tapered shank portion 19 for graduating the escape, and need not be further described, as the same forms no part of the present application. Inasmuch as the said valve 16 controls a separate return or bypass passage back to the filter or source, it is termed a bypass valve.

The discharge pipe m is preferably con nected to a discharge fitting. 20 located between the pump body V and the by-pass' valve sleeve 17. The by-pass valve 16 is automatically actuated by regulating devices including a bypass lever 21, pivoted to the yoke (Z-by the pin 22 and extending into operative relation with the hy-pass valve 16, against which it abuts. The by-pass lever 21 is provided with a concave-bearing surface 23 and is adapted to be operated in the same manner as described in the aforesaid apthe pipe 41; to the injection nozzle 2'.

means for heating the same, a heated plication, SerialNo. 469,435, so that further description will be unnecessary.

In the operation of the apparatus described, the heavy crude oil supply tank Av may be filled with oil to the level indicated at 24 for instance, and is heated therein by the heating coil D through the agency oi the devices "and system as described, the source of heat. being taken from the exhaust pipe G. The oil is pumped up under pressure by the fuel su ly plunger Y and dis charged into the dl ter tank Q, forming a pressure tanln'in which the oil is preferably subjected to a pressure of from about ()0 lbs, to about lbs. The oil is maintained under said pressure in the pressure tank Q and at a temperature of about 220 F., depending upon the particular quantity of oil being used, and from-the pressure tank Q, it being assumed that the light oil supply tank is shut off by proper manipulation of the valves 3 and 25, the heavy oil which has been heated under pressure will be injected by the injection plunger Z of the pump, through I claim:

1. Apparatus for directly injecting high viscosity crude oils in a liquid state into. a direct injection engine, comprising in com bination with mechanical liquid fuel injection mechanism, of a fuel supply tank and reliininary pressure tank connected with the supply tank and means for subjecting the oil to preliminary pressure in said pressure tank without vaporization, and maintainin it under pressure in the said pressure tanii in a liquid state, and means connecting the said heated pressure tank with the fuel injecting mechanism and engine.

2. Apparatus for directly injecting high viscosity crude oils in a liquid state into a direct injection engine, comprising in corn bination with mechanical liquid fuel injection mechanism, of a supply tank, and a preliminary pressure tank, means for heating said tanks by heat derived from the exhaust gases of the engine without permitting vaporization of the oil, means for supplying and maintaining pressure in said preliminary pressure tank, and means connectin. the said heated pressure tank with the fue. injecting mechanism and engine.

3. Apparatus for directly injecting high viscosity crude oils in a liquid state into a direct injection engine, comprising incombination with mechanical liquid fuel injection mechanism, of a fuel supply tank, and a preliminary pressure tank, means for heating said tanks by heat derived from the exhause gases of the engine, without permitting vaporization of the oil. a supply pump for pumping heated oil in a liquid state from the supply tank into theheated pressure tank and thereby placing and maintaining A 1.12. um

ilie lieeteil liquid oil under preliminary pressure and means connecting the seici pressure tank will: the fuel injecting mechanism and engine.

4; Apparatus for directly injecting high viscosity crude eiis in a liquid state into a directinjeetion engine, comprising in com binatien with mechanical liquiclfnel injectien pump, of a fuel supply tank, e jacketed filter oox aclnpied to contain fuel under pressure, means fer supplying heat derived mm the engine exhaust gases m the supply tank and to the jacket 0f the filter box, means connected to #5110 pump 3302' supplying heated fuel under pressure to said filter box, anal means connecting the onixlei; of said filter box with the fuel injecting piling).

memes 5. Apparatus for directly injecting high viscosity crude ils in a liquid. state into 2; direct injection engine comprising in combination, a mechanical liquid fuel injection pump, a fuel supply tank connected to the inlet of said pump, a jacketed filter box adapted to contain fuel under pressure, means for beefing saici tank and filter box by heat derived from tlleezliaust gases of the engine, a connection from the. pump for supplying liea'ted fuel under pressure to the filter and. a. connection to the pump for n'itlicli'awing heated fuel underpressure fmn'l {he filter be): for the engine.

In aessimony whereof I have signed this specification.

RALPH MILLER. i. 

